Exploring a more excellent way. Love.

Call and Response: How Bridges Become Accessible

I don’t want all this talk about building bridges to end up as a graveyard full of “bridges to nowhere.” I was surprised this week during our Daily Scripture Reading in Psalm 119. In the section labeled ק Qoph (vv. 145-152), the Psalmist writes about how he had called on the Lord on different occasions. This reminded me of Peter’s sermon in Acts 2:21 where he quotes Joel 2 saying, “And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Though the Lord knows our prayers before we utter them, he also waits for us to call on him so that he can respond with his faithfulness. This principle is the same on the human level.

Bridge is a metaphor for relationship. If we need help, we need to call someone, or else who will know? Similarly, we need to have ears to hear and eyes to see when someone is calling out for help.

The main thrust of this topic of building bridges is to about the kingdom of God. The church is the bridge to the kingdom. It is quite common for the kingdom to use temporal needs to expose eternal needs. Providing children’s clothes to a financially disadvantaged family speaks to them God’s love and care through his people. This is the call and response in reverse. Sometimes people don’t know they have an eternal need until it is revealed to them via a bridge, someone providing an opportunity for them to respond.

The ultimate purpose of bringing people into the kingdom of God is so that they can experience God as person. Bridges should never be built to nowhere. Jesus is not only the end to our means, he is also the means. It is Christ in us that makes these bridges possible and worthy of crossing. For the kingdom and the glory of God, let’s make Jesus accessible by becoming accessible ourselves.